Amtrak Trackside Restaurants

I thought I'd start a topic on trackside restaurants along Amtrak's ROW. Here's on in Wallingford, CT:

Finally, a thread that combines my only two areas of expertise, drinking beer and mindlessly watching trains…

First, along the NCRR (soon to be five Amtrak trains per day)
Charlotte: Divine Barrel Brewing (not much food) divinebarrel.com
Lexington: Southern Lunch (excellent lunch counter, parking beside tracks but you can’t really see trains from inside) https://southernlunchcatering.food-pi.com/
Lexington: Goose and Monkey Brewing: gooseandthemonkeybrewhouse.com (former furniture mill)
Greensboro: Natty Greens Downtown (ask for patio seat — best railfan spot on NCRR in terms of trains per hour)
Raleigh: Wye Hill Brewing (they are sticklers for reservations. You want the patio rail. overlooks Union station) https://wyehill.com/. (Bonus: rooms above the 8th floor at the downtown Marriott have very good views of Union station operations)

And a random spot in Michigan (4? Wolvereens per day):
Ypsilanti: Sidetrack Bar and Grill sidetrackbarandgrill.com

Glad to be of service! I'll add The Village Station in Mamaroneck, NY. Although not an Amtrak station, plenty of viewing action across a street of Acela, Regional, and Commuter Trains.

http://thevillagestation.com/

There is a nice restaurant in the Windsor, Vermont station:

http://windsorstationvt.com

I had dinner there with my brother last year and got to see the northbound Vermonter stop.

From Holiday Inn Akron West--

In Clarendon Hills, IL, there is a Greek restaurant offering "tables with a view" on the BNSF Chicago Sub and its 144 daily trains.

However, who knows how long they will be around, the mortality rate of any cuisine restaurants at the location is "uh, not too great". I think their problem is that is they are "off main strip" to our rather lively after dark.strip.

Cold Spring Depot, Cold Spring NY It is a old NYCRR depot on the Hudson line it is not an Amtrak stop but Metro North has a stop there. Summer time when the patio is open you can sit trackside. Cold beer great burgers.

There was a place directly across from the Rhinecliffe station China Rose? I think it closed but my last trip south in May it looks as though it may have reopened. The Inn across street pre covid was always a busy place especially around the holidays.

Edit:
I don't know I forgot this one, more than once eating here with the wife only to have the caller ring the cell. Valentino's Amsterdam NY It sits on top of a hill and over looks the CSX Mohawk Sub.

Surprised no one else has mentioned this: The Gandy Dancer in Ann Arbor occupies the original station building there. In spite of my four years in Ann Arbor and many trips back since I've never eaten there so can't speak to the quality of the food but it has been there since 1970 and survived Covid.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_Arbor ... _Railroad)

It's too bad they've closed it, but they closed the Sandwich Junction sandwich shop in Warwick, Rhode Island which was along a 150mph stretch for the Acela right near the Providence Airport.

There is a diner in Aberdeen, MD adjacent to the Northeast Corridor.

TheOneKEA wrote: ↑Wed Jun 14, 2023 4:16 pm There is a diner in Aberdeen, MD adjacent to the Northeast Corridor.

Oh you mean the Aberdeen Diner? http://www.aberdeendiner.net/

There's also an Aberdeen Food Truck Park nearby that overlooks the CSX line.

That said, I've thrown these into a Google Maps custom map. I figured I'd map these out because writing them in my sequel novel is very tempting.

In Portland, Maine, Bruno's. They have an outdoor dining area that's directly alongside the (former PanAm, now CSX) main line that also hosts the Downeaster. Look for Amtrak roughly 15-20 mins before scheduled southbound departure from POR, or 10-15 minutes after NB departure.

There's another place on Forest Ave., but I believe it's currently closed. And there's a McDonald's on St. John St. that abuts the tracks if you want to eat in your car and watch.

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Thu Jun 15, 2023 5:56 am

TheOneKEA wrote: ↑Wed Jun 14, 2023 4:16 pm There is a diner in Aberdeen, MD adjacent to the Northeast Corridor.

Oh you mean the Aberdeen Diner? http://www.aberdeendiner.net/

There's also an Aberdeen Food Truck Park nearby that overlooks the CSX line.

That said, I've thrown these into a Google Maps custom map. I figured I'd map these out because writing them in my sequel novel is very tempting.

That’s the one! I’d like to try it out sometime, because I really like diner food and because I like trying out new restaurants.

TheOneKEA wrote: ↑Thu Jun 15, 2023 4:02 pm

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Thu Jun 15, 2023 5:56 am Oh you mean the Aberdeen Diner? http://www.aberdeendiner.net/

There's also an Aberdeen Food Truck Park nearby that overlooks the CSX line.

That said, I've thrown these into a Google Maps custom map. I figured I'd map these out because writing them in my sequel novel is very tempting.

That’s the one! I’d like to try it out sometime, because I really like diner food and because I like trying out new restaurants.

Tempted to go up there for lunch and see the layout, to be honest. Also visit the Aberdeen rail stop.

Rocco's (Streetview) is at the Home Depot in Long Island City, NY and although only a simple lunch counter, has famous cheesesteaks and you can view Acelas and Regionals en route to and from New England and frequent LIRR service just behind the parking lot.

Station House Wine Bar at Stratford